The Future According to North Korean Architects

A tour company in Beijing recently commissioned an exhibition of designs by North Korean architects depicting their vision of a futuristic DPRK. The architects were told not to worry about constraints (such as that pesky Law of Gravity) and design based on the future of North Korea's tourism industry. The results look like something out of a Sci-Fi film: a bridge running through the clouds, hotels shaped like giant trees, and mobile homes that hover over water.

To see a slideshow of the designs, click here to visit The Independent.

What's the Big Idea?

Koryo Tours, which commissioned the "Utopian Tours" exhibition, is a tour agency specializing in trips into the notoriously repressive nation. Co-founder Nick Bonner recently told CNN that the inspiration behind "Utopian Tours" came from the lack of attention from the outside world on North Korean architecture. The designs reflect the influence of the Soviet Union on North Korean architecture, though also evident is a distinctly Korean focus on nature. The exhibition will be on display through November at the Venice Architecture Biennale in Italy.